GFF still to pay out prize money for year-end championship

Despite concluding the ‘Big Four’ Championship on November 12th 2017 and their Year-end Championship on January 1st 2018, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), is yet to pay the respective top four finishers their prizes monies.

According to sources close to the GFF, “The GFF has not paid any prize monies for the Big Four Tournament and the recently concluded yearend tournament. They also owe some of the clubs monies for ground rentals and insurance matters from the second season when they didn’t insure the players. They also have not paid the clubs for their transportation expenses. Some of the players are also owed their match-day stipends for the first two rounds of the Elite League Season three.”

Fruta Conquerors secured the ‘Big Four’ Championship’, edging Elite League winner, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) 1-0. The Tucville based unit is owed $1,500,000 for their efforts, while GDF is awaiting the second place package of $700,000.

On the other hand, Buxton United and Victoria Kings are owed $500,000 and $300,000 apiece for finishing third and fourth respectively.

In terms of the recently concluded GFF Year-end Classic, GDF is owed $2,000,000 after defeating Grove Hi-Tech by a 2-0 scoreline. The East Bank Demerara unit is owed $1,000,000.

Similarly, Fruta Conquerors and Milerock are owed $500,000 and $250,000 each for their third and fourth place finish correspondingly.

The sources further said, “The GFF has given no word on when the issues will be revolved. It’s a very frustrating situation you could imagine for some of the clubs. There is no timeline that has been set as to when the payments will occur.”

“Some of the clubs are owed hundreds of thousands while some are owed millions of dollars by the federation. It has happened since the league started, it’s a constant thing that the GFF owes the clubs” the sources further added.

Efforts to contact the General Secretary Renella Bourne proved futile. Meanwhile, her assistant Sasha Gouveia was unable to answer any of the questions posed.

However, Public Relations Officer (PRO) Debra Francis when quizzed if the GFF has paid the prize monies to the clubs, said, “I have to confirm that, I am not sure about that.”

Asked if the GFF paid the match-day stipends for the first two rounds of the Elite League, she further revealed, “They have paid some clubs, I have to check to see how many have been paid.”